THROUGH THE ANDES AND INTO BOLIVIA I GO. What can i tell you about the last week? I touched down in Peru and then, the next day, took a ten hour train to Puno, close to the Bolivian border. Yes, it was a beautiful train, the ‘Andean Explorer’ with armchairs, complimentary drinks and a three course meal. The only thing that hindered this otherwise five star experience for the passangers on the train was the drab figure sat opposite them, just hoping to get to the other side. Yes, that would be me, sick and unconscious of almost anything outside my illness – apart from a nose bleed and some really stunning views. Altitude sickness or ‘Soroche’ as it is known, doesn’t affect everyone but apparently my lungs weren’t quite upto it. The three course menu was redundant but I just about managed a Pisco Sour and a bowl of chicken soup. Some thoughts that went through my head: 1. How amazing it was to see men making bricks out of clay on an industrial level – very interesting. 2. Where do all these women grazing their herd in the middle of nowhere come from? 3. The incredible colour of the Andes, like brown carpeted velvet.

Once in Puno, I travelled over the border, by bus, to La Paz. The Journey to Hacienda Tranquilidad continues.